McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown sees potential vulnerability creeping in at Red Bull, suggesting "fractures" may appear within the team longer-term due to the inner turmoil endured by the bulls earlier this season.
Red Bull has reigned supreme in F1 for the past two seasons, securing both driver and constructor championships in 2022 and 2023.
While the Milton Keynes-based outfit initially seemed destined to prolong its hegemony in 2024, strong performances by McLaren, a resurgent Mercedes team and Ferrari’s inevitable presence have presented a significant challenge to the bulls.
Furthermore, the turbulence generated by the saga surrounding team principal Christian Horner at the beginning of the season due to allegations of inappropriate behavior, coupled with the departure early next year of design guru Adrian Newey, have reportedly led to instability and internal tensions.
While the latter appear to have subsided, Brown believes the fallout from the discord and current competitive pressures might have an impact on Red Bull’s performance down the road, and especially in 2026 when F1 ushers in its new regulations.
“I think the turmoil will have more of a mid to longer-term impact,” Brown told the media, quoted by RN365.
“This car was done last year, what they’re racing now was done when everything was fine.
“I think it's more of 2026, when you got a new engine coming, what's going on with the driver front, I think that's where you potentially are going to see the lack of stability that appears to be there maybe coming through a little bit.
“Winning holds things together and as that becomes more of a challenge for them, I think that’s when you might see some more fractures in various relationships inside that camp.”
Fueled by Lando Norris's maiden victory at the Miami Grand Prix earlier this year, McLaren has maintained its impressive upward momentum in recent races, thanks to a strong development pace that has been on display since the middle of last year.
However, team papaya isn't the only contender making strides. Mercedes has now also emerged as a serious threat, having secured back-to-back victories in Austria and at Silverstone.
Brown suggests Red Bull may have overextended themselves early on in the regulatory cycle. The bulls aggressive initial development push might make it harder for them to adapt and improve their car as the rules reach their final stages.
This could open the door for McLaren and other teams to close the gap.
“My opinion as opposed to fact, I think they got to terminal velocity, if you'd like, quicker than the rest of us,” Brown said,
“And there does come a point of diminishing returns as far as just how much you can continue to develop a car.
“I think, credit to them, they got their first and now we're all caught up or almost caught up.”
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